Carriage for track-cables.



No. 806,637. PATENTED DEC, 5, 1905.

A C. A. CASE.

CARRIAGE FOR TRACK GABLES.

' APPLICATION FILED APR.16,1904L 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, cad 2M. @322? No. 806,631. PATEN ED DEG.5,1905. v

A. cAs f CARRIAGE FOR TRACK GABLES.

APPLIOATIO N IIIIED APB. 16,1904.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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v VIII/[I11UIIIIIIIl/IIIIIIIIIL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. CASE, OF TREuToN, NEW JERSEY.

CARRIAGE FOH TRACK-CABLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 5, 1905.

Application filed April 16, 1904:. Serial No. 203,392.

To all whom it may concern:

7 dated February 17, 1903, and relates to acarriage for track-cables, tram-rails, and the like;

- and its specific object is the production of a carriage with a gripping device by means of which it can be automatically locked and unlocked to a traction-rope for propulsion Without slipping on either practically horithe load suspended from the carriage, thezontal or inclined tram-rails or track-cables;

The organization of theinvention comprises a carriage with a gripping device actuated by load causing the gripping device to be clamped to a traction-rope with the same force Whether on a horizontal or inclined track.

The invention is further characterized by means that prevent the gripping device disengaging from the traction-rope in the event jawsof the gripping device open.

- its said tram-rail or track-cable.

of any arringor springing of thecarriage on In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an elevation of the carriage With a portion of its tram-rail, supporting-rail, and guide-rail in a station or terminal with the Fig. 2 shows an end view and partial section of Fig.

'1. Fig. 2* shows a partial section on the line Fig. 2

00 m of Fig. 6, slightly modified. shows a partial section on the line wiw of Fig. Fig. 8 represents a partial section'of the carriage as on the line as w'ofFig. 4: with the jaws of the gripping device closed. Fig. 4 is a partial section of Fig. 3 onthe line at w.

Fig. 5 represents a top view of-Fi-g. 3 with a portion broken away. Fig. 6 represents a front view of .the carriage with the jaws of the gripping device open. i Fig. 7 shows a' partial end view of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is ,a section of Fig. 6 on the line m Fig 9 is a partial side view of the movable jaw of the gripping device. Fig. 10 is a partial section case of the bucket O. 'In Figs. 1 and 2 the Icarriage'is shown with. its supportsin a station or term1nal, and they consist of a tramrail D, with bent-up ends D carried on a support Above the tram-rail. is fixed the guide-rail H, with itsbent-up ends H and its I support H and below the tram-rail the supporting-rail G, with its ends bent down at G is carriedon the support G. The track-cable R extends from the ends of the tram-rail in the usual manner. 1

The hanger B carries the braces b b, to which latter are bolted the brackets B, that support the pins Z2 for the roller, F. A bracket E, connected to the side plate of. the carriage by the rivets 6, supports the pin E, flOlllWlllCll the hanger B is suspended. I

The carriage comprises. the wheels A, capable of turning on the axles A which latter are journaled to inner plates H and generally secured thereto with pins h and extend th'roughthe side plates H. The plates H are connected at their ,central portions by the guide-block I with the rivets i, which clamp the ears 6 and the said plates together. A cover-plate J, with ears j, extends between the side plates H, and rivets 3' 1" clamp the said cover-plate to the side plates. The coverplate extends to the wheels A and protects the mechanism of the, invention from snow, ice, and foreign substances. Bolts K K extend through the elongated openings r in the guide-block I and clamp together the side plates H and sleeves k on the bolts, which latter constitute separators between the said side plates and also constitute rollers on the bolts. v

The gripping device and its'appurtenances consist of the stationary jaw m and movable jaw m, the latter being pivoted on the adjustable pivot N. Legs m extend from the stationary jaw m, and rivets j clamp the upper portionsof the said jaw, as; well as the coverplateJ, to one of the side plates H, while rivets 1' clamp the said'legs to the side plate.

The movable jaw m has extending below its pivot N'the lowerlleg m, which latter carries a pin ml, fromwhich extend the links m that carry the pin m with roller m The pin m* and its roller extend through the guide or guideopenihg I in the guide-block I. Links m? swing from the pin J, supported in a bearing f extending from the coverplate J, and connect at their free ends with the pin m*. The traction-rope P is shown between the jaws. e

IIO

the plugs the pivotN throws the movable jaw on different distances from the stationary jaw m, thereby enabling the adjustment of the jaws for gripping traction-ropes of different diameters. In Figs. 2 and 2", which show a slight modification of a portion of the carriage, one of the wheels is shown at A loosely fitting the bushing 1, which latter has the oilholes 2. The inner plates 12 carry the supports 5, and the side plates 3 have the slots-4t for the supports 5, that are flattened at the sides6 to enable them to move in the said slots and prevent their turning. The axle 7 has the collar 8 and the nut 9 for clamping together the said axle, supports 5, and bushing 1. An oil-hole 10 in the axle connects with grooves 11 and the holes 2.

To operate the invention, the carriage is moved onto the tram-rail D in a station or terminal, the rollers F being by so doing carried on the supporting-rail G, and the wheels A of the carriage are thereby moved down, the slots h allowing the axles A with the wheels, to descend from the normal positions they occupy when the rollers F are not supported on the tram-rail. By virtue of this downwardmovement of the wheels A the inner plates H, with the guide-block I, are also moved down, and the pin m*, with its roller m is forced from the lower portion of the guide-opening I to the upper portion thereof, and the connections between said pin and the movable jaw m of the gripping device causes the latter to open and allows the traction-rope P to fall in place. The carriage is moved from the tram-rail D, and as soon as the rollers F are clear of the supporting-rail G the weight of the bucket pulls down the sides H, so that the crowns of the slots it nearly bear on the ends of the axles A or in the modified form on the supports 5. The pins m, with their rollers m, then find a good bearing in the lower portion of the guide-opening I between the parallel walls i and thus maintain the jaws m m tightly gripped to the tractionrope P.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a carriage the combination of wheels and sides, a gripping device connected up with thecarriage, means to operate the said device, the said means actuated by moving the wheels of the carriage, in lines at right angles to a plane passing through the axial lines of their axles.

2. In a carriage the combination of a gripping device, side plates having slots, inner plates adjacent to the side plates, axles connected with the inner plates and capable of moving in the slots in the side plates, in directions perpendicular to a plane passing through the axial lines of the axles, and wheels on the axle.

3. In a carriage the combination of wheels and sides therefor, a guide-block connected up with the carriage, a gripping device for a traction-rope connected to the carriage, a pin guided by the guide-block, means to locate the pin in different positions in the guideblock to lock and unlock the gripping device with its traction-rope, connections between the pin and the said gripping device.

4. In a carriage the combination of a gripping device for a traction-rope, a guide-block connected up with the carriage, a pin arranged to move' in a guide in the guide-block, parallel vertical walls in the guide-block for the pin, connections between the pin and the gripping device.

5. In a carriage the combination of a gripping device for a traction-rope, a movable jaw in the said gripping device, a guide-block connected up with the carriage, a pin arranged to move in a guide in the guide-block, connections between the said pin and the movable jaw, means to move the pin to different positions in the guide of the guide-block.

6. In a carriage the combination of sides, a gripping device for a traction-rope on the carriage, a movable jaw in the said gripping device, a cover-plate connecting the said sides, links swinging from the cover-plate, a guideblock having a guide-opening connected up with the carriage, a pin capable of moving in the said guide-opening, and the pin connected with the said links, other links connecting the pin with the movable jaw, means to move the pin in the guide-opening to diflerent positions therein, and actuate the movable jaw of the gripping device.

7. In a carriage the combination of sides, and wheels movable relatively to said sides, a movable jaw of a gripping device pivoted to the carriage, a pin supported in a bearing rigidly connected to the said sides, linked connections between the movable jaw and the said pin, means to move the said linked connections and thereby the movable jaw, by the said movement of the wheels relatively to the sides of the carriage.

8. In a carriage the combination of wheels and sides therefor; a movable jaw of a gripping device pivoted to the carriage; a pin supported in a bearing rigidly connected to the said sides; links between one end of the movable jaw and the said pin; a second pin connecting the links; a guide-block arranged to move with the wheels, and having a guideopening for the said second pin, to guide the latter when the wheels are moving relatively to the sides.

9. in a carriage the combination of sides" having slots, inner'plates forthe carriageadjacent to the sides, a guide-block supported,

. the sides.

10. In a carriage the combination of wheels and. sides therefor, a stationary jaw of a gripping device connected to one of the said sides, movable plugs connected up with the said stationary jaw, a pivot, eccentrically supported in the plugs, a movable jaw of the gripping device supported on the said pivot.

11. In a carriage the combination of sides, inner plates adjacent to the sides, the plates and sides arranged to moverelatively to each other, wheels for the carriage connected up to move with the inner plates, a guide-block connected to the inner plates and having a guide-opening, a gripping device with a movablejaw connected to the carriage, a pin in the said guide-opening, linked connections,

between the pin and the end of the movable jaw, a second pin supported in a bearingcon 'nected with the sides of the carriage, linked connections between the two pins, a seat.

formed; in the guide-opening for the pin passingtherethrough when the jaws are closed, and sides of the opening extending above said seat toprevent lateral movement of the pin when in its seat, the continuation of said sides in the opening formed, to allow a vertical and lateral movement of the pin in the said guide-H opening, and thereby open the jaws.

12. In a carriage the combination of side plates having slots, and inner plates adjacent to the side plates, supports held in the inner plates and capable of moving in the slots in the side plates, an axle carried in a pair of the Supports, a bushing on the axle, means to clamp the pairof supports and said bushing together, a wheel turning on the bushing.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 22d day of March, A. D. 1904.

CHARLES A. CASE.

Witnesses:

O. OTTO, L. W. GARRnTsoN. 

